Spencer dock

Thanks for the pictures Ake, nice collection at flickr, it looked like a glorious day

The apartment complexes on the whole seem to be of a high standard? (im not an architect)
I wouldnt mind living there
On the the other hand,
The office developments are truly boring….yawn, faceless glazing, nothing that would make me look twice
It certainly does not look like a Financial Centre in a bustling capital city
I hate to bring up the height issue as it gets tedious, but come on, what a waste

The contract to build Kevin Roches National Conference Center was signed yesterday. Contsruction starts immediately. Should provide some relief! Though I have to say Spencer Dock does not look too bad.

The extent of landscaping looks like it will be big.

Really needed.

Love the way the docklands station and the railway line vanished off that plan above

Thats because the docklands station and line is temporary and will vanish. 🙂

@weehamster wrote:

Thats because the docklands station and line is temporary and will vanish. 🙂

In 2020 or so

Some vague hope that the interconnector might be finished by 2016 with fianna fail claiming they will ‘accelerate’ construction of the interconnector as part of their election campaign, i.e attempt to bring it in on time.

Roisin Shortall who i reckon will be next transport minister whether it be FF/Labour or the Rainbow has raised the importance of the project a few times in the dail.

So possibly completion by 2016, a long 9 years away, but given the scale of the project & the way planning works here the best that can be hoped for i reckon.

Still no tall buildings then?
The phobia continues..

RUN! RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!! IT’S A STRUCTURE WITH MORE THAN SIX STORIES!!! ARRRGGGHHHH!!!! MY SUN, MY SUN!! I’M LIVING IN THE SHADE!!!! EVEN THOUGH THIS IS IRELAND AND WE LIVE IN THE SHADE PRETTY GENERALLY MOST OF THE TIME!!! RUN ANYWAY!!

Six storeys

Try two storeys for some people

2016 2018 2020 2022

Ten year plan October 2005 its slipped already and will continue to slip

But as long as Marto gets his Dual Carriageway

http://www.nra.ie/Transportation/TrafficDataCollection/TrafficCounterData/html/N09-05.htm

its all ok

http://www.spencerdock.ie/commercial/block_d_and_e

What do we think of that block? Again it just continues the uniform height which is so disappointing. Every time we see this its just another missed opportunity:rolleyes: The block itself does not look like it will be too bad but could have been higher.

I think the most disapointing thing is the treatment of the Red brick in front of it, the old Warehouse at the back and the old Hotel/CIE offices(?) next door.. Surely these are to be protected?

Have they started the convention centre? To the left?

Am I the only one who hates the national conferance centre design?

@archipig wrote:

Am I the only one who hates the national conferance centre design?

No

Looks fairly dated to me, although maybe thats because we’ve been looking at it for 8 years :rolleyes:

Interested to see how the glazed cylinder will work out … at least it will provide some light relief from the monotony of the north docks that the DDDA has inflicted on the city.

@ake wrote:

Have they started the convention centre? To the left?

I work right across from Spencer Dock so have a bird’s eye view of what’s going on each day! To answer your question, they have started the construction of two lift shafts (one of which is already built to 5 floors) so progress is well underway!

are they really putting in a house in front of block d and e ? I think we have too many houses here.

I would agree about the height , the whole development is rather timid

timid?

treasury always get the densities they want – just looking at the apartment buildings that are up (and this is only phase one remember) the place looks like it’s at the upper end already. There’s alot being fitted into this site.

Although sometimes I wish they were allowed taller, albeit with more spacing between buildings. If you look at Barrow St or Central Park, Treasury’s approach to squeezing the last sq m out of the site leaves a very negative impression

[attach]5566[/attach]
friday 24th ag

@Punchbowl wrote:

I think the most disapointing thing is the treatment of the Red brick in front of it, the old Warehouse at the back and the old Hotel/CIE offices(?) next door.. Surely these are to be protected?

I’m astonished they’re getting rid of that red brick building. It’s lovely. They should be building over and around it.

The facade is still there, but it’s white in those pictures

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

wow. deez yung ppl and der txtspk! its all gettin 2 much 4 poor ould ctsphn. ne chans u cud spk de nglsh?

http://www.spencerdock.ie/commercial/block_d_and_e

What do we think of that block? Again it just continues the uniform height which is so disappointing. Every time we see this its just another missed opportunity The block itself does not look like it will be too bad but could have been higher.

i really like this building, a lot less bland than other stuff around the docklands.Their website says this is not the actual building proposed though but rather just a rep. of what could be!?i think it should go ahead but maybe placed back from the redbricks leaving a pedestrian street between or it could be better as the frontage of the conferance centre?

@archipimp wrote:

i really like this building, a lot less bland than other stuff around the docklands.Their website says this is not the actual building proposed though but rather just a rep. of what could be!?i think it should go ahead but maybe placed back from the redbricks leaving a pedestrian street between or it could be better as the frontage of the conferance centre?

I really don’t see how this building can go ahead with the listed Wool Store running up to the back of the right handside of the red(white)brick building. Although maybe they plan to send it the same way as the hailing station. If they do feel like knocking listed buildings I’d probably knock the curved wall at the extreme right. It’s inclusion and subsequent ‘wing’ in the building behind (and above, air space how are ya) make the whole thing look decidedly off kilter.

Actually, I don’t really like any of it, when you look at the red brick hotel to the right and then the imagination that’s gone in to this glass heap it looks pretty monterous.

I’ve no objection to a larger building set back behind the charming Victorian set-piece (no matter how it’s viewed from across the river, something has to rise over it) – but the glass ‘skypod’ is way too overbearing, and looms over in a decidedly unforgiving manner.

The curved glazing is a bit sticky-on alright, and should be altered from in its current form. The curved wall is a minor abutment to the 19th century structure, yet is being interpreted disproportionately by the new building – the glazed curve should blend more seamlessly into the larger structure. By contrast, the floating nature of the upper floors is almost too deferential to the existing building – it looks weak and puny for a building of such scale. But the acknowledgement of the balanced facade in front is good, and could work well if there’s a decent bit of breathing space between the two.
That’s all assuming this even goes ahead of course…

Some views of the current crisp contrast with the neighbouring recently completed block.

And the old and new city, the former still dominant in the height department.

pic 3

Fantastic shot Graham. It’s one of those shots that you stare at for a while to absorb all the detail. You captured the beautiful redbrick on those chimney breasts perfectly.

All the breast,
Morlan.

Saw that they have the NCC elevator shafts in place. A bit higher than the building beside it.

@GregF wrote:

Saw that they have the NCC elevator shafts in place. A bit higher than the building beside it.

Yes, I work across from them and notice they are still getting higher. Did not expect the NCC to be taller than the PriceWaterhouseCooper buiding next to it which is 8 floors..

I wonder how much treasury plans to change the design of spencer dock due to ddda decision to allow 20 storeys for the docks and dcc to refuse permission for the 35 storey hotel, block g plan is 20 stories but how will it affect the rest of the site’s overall design. Id say treasury will radically change the overall plan on the east side of the development!!!;)

I see a lot of things out of date in those plans.

No Luas:rolleyes:
No Interconnecter Tunnel, still using most of the docklands site in a lot of plans.
The convention centre seems to be missing, and yet most of it is standing already.
Not many of the so called, public squares either.

Its been going a long time and i have nothing agaisnt the development with the exception of asking where does the station go? I know its underground but where will it come up if they’re allready building on it?

In the plans from the previous page you can see things that aren’t in other drawings ive seen. Have they abandoned the complete take over of the docklands yard? After all they need to let the tunnel out somewhere:rolleyes:

@Denton wrote:

I see a lot of things out of date in those plans.

No Luas:rolleyes:
No Interconnecter Tunnel, still using most of the docklands site in a lot of plans.
The convention centre seems to be missing, and yet most of it is standing already.
Not many of the so called, public squares either.

Its been going a long time and i have nothing agaisnt the development with the exception of asking where does the station go? I know its underground but where will it come up if they’re allready building on it?

Denton this might help.:confused:
Half of the site not yet developed, as you can see from the render the ncc is in the pic, the station built in 2008 behind the apartments and the public square is hard to notice but is behind offices. Block g 20 stories building render below. Two developments awaiting planning permission block DE(render below) and block on spencer render(11 storeys):)

We definitly need more reflective glass in the docklands. With the almost permanent dull grey skies we get here in Dublin/Ireland, glass is far more visually uplifting (and sexy) than the drab grey concrete or cladding which we have an abundant of. Especially along the riverfront too, where the ripples of the Liffey would be reflected, more glass would be cool! It is surprising that the achitects have not already grasped this at all! ……the Dullards

No 3 spencer dock development under construction opposite proposed hotel:)

That will be occupied by Central Bank

I was cycling along the coast between Dun Laoghaire and Seapoint and I could see the National Conference Centre cylinder glass…this is truly and a landmark and I like it :p Well done to Kevin Roche and the OPW

I’ve noticed it too on the DART – a single glint of light on an otehrwise dull skyline, unmistakeable because of its angle. The NCC may have its detractors – and it’s not finished, so the jury’s out – but at least it’s different! Give me a ginormous, tilted glass cylinder over another boring, squat office block any day.

I agree. I would put money on it, that within 30 years, it’ll be one of those iconic buildings of Dublin, like the Poolbeg towers.

@SunnyDub wrote:

Well done to Kevin Roche and the OPW

How were the OPW involved; I have lost my grasp on this saga,

My understanding is that the OPW will own the conference centre and that it is being leased out to Treasury & co for 30 years

@AndrewP wrote:

Give me a ginormous, tilted glass cylinder over another boring, squat office block any day.

Exactly. And for the love of god some taller buildings please for the nations capital, this 5-8 storey stuff is starting to melt my brain. this whole area should’ve been high rise central. but the nimbys and the gombeens got their way 🙁

not so long ago there were anti high-rise billboards all over town. that god those days are gone, but look at their legacy – stump city.

Oh dear, this NCC has infected another thread…

It’s a sad day when a glorified gimic passes as architecture.

the luas bridge is open to pedestrians, well kinda

nice

The bridge is now open to west bound traffic. Whats going on at the hotel site? there seems to be no activity. The conference centre needs a 5 star hotel be it a tower or not. I hope there are some new designs in the out there

The hotel will be built afaik, Marriott in place to run it, presumably as a Ritz Carlton. I’d say they’ll go back after new development plan to be allowed go higher.

really? I thought it was refused for being too ugly. Maybe that was just missarchi talkin sht though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k_M6JyxNnDY&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.irishrail.ie%2Fprojects%2Fdart_underground.asp&feature=player_embedded

new video re dart

you can see the bridge here
http://www.sisk.ie/sisk/sisk/www/default.asp?magpage=25&id=575&sector_id=1&wid=2

am i right or wrong to expect a surface other then what seems like tarmacdam for the pedestrian and stepped part?

I dont think it’s tar mac. I think it’s some kind of felt finish. It seems springy when one steps on it and is soft to the touch

@cgcsb wrote:

really? I thought it was refused for being too ugly. Maybe that was just missarchi talkin sht though.

The taller one was refused by they already had planning for a 14-storey one. Expect very strong foundations so they can go up later.

I see. I’m trying to find pictures of the smaller tower at the min. All I’ve seen so far is the taller one on treasury holdings website. Managed to find this about the foundations of the building which are already in place apparently
http://www.sisk.ie/sisk/sisk/www/default.asp?magpage=28&id=274&wid=2

you can kinda see it on this one. Only from behind
http://www.finfacts.com/irelandbusinessnews/uploads/nationalconmay222007.jpg

Some Aerial Shots of the new Luas Bridge

Nice; pity about the bloody awful stuff it’s leading to… Sorry, I didn’t realise the bridge was somewhere in Siberia c.1950.

@Peter Fitz wrote:

What are you talking about johnglas, sure its like entering a Scott Tallon Walker dream world, no doubt a utopian wonder for the architects…

suicide inducing for the rest of humanity.

I never understand why STW gets so many commissions. To call their work repetitive and bland is being kind!

Nice bridge though:))

Interesting pics and review of the bridge on this here site!http://www.yatzer.com/1790_first_photos_of_spencer_dock_bridge_in_dublin

@thebig C wrote:

I never understand why STW gets so many commissions. To call their work repetitive and bland is being kind!

Nice bridge though:))

Couldn’t agree more – dull as dishwater – never sensible to have one practice designing so much of any one area, and especially one so criminally dull and uninspiring. … No need to be kind!